Former Playboy and Maxim model Kelsey Turner has entered a plea agreement in the 2019 death of 71-year-old psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Burchard. Turner entered an Alford plea, which allows her to maintain her innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution’s evidence would likely lead to a conviction if the case went to trial.
Turner was arrested in connection with Burchard’s murder after his body was discovered in the trunk of an abandoned car near Lake Mead, Nevada. An investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department concluded that Turner and two accomplices were involved in Burchard’s death.
Kelsey Turner, a former model, is escorted out of court after her arraignment in Las Vegas Justice Court on Friday, May 10, 2019. Turner is charged with murder in connection with the death of 71-year-old Thomas Burchard.
Turner’s former boyfriend and co-defendant, Jon Kennison, has already pleaded guilty to charges of murder and conspiracy in the case. Another accomplice, Diana Pena, also pleaded guilty to accessory to commit murder.
Investigators revealed that Turner and Burchard had known each other for several years and had a personal relationship. According to reports from Las Vegas television stations, Burchard had been paying for Turner’s rent for nearly a year before the payments stopped. Turner was subsequently evicted from her residence in the fall of 2018.
Dr. Thomas Burchard, a psychiatrist from Salinas, California, was found dead in the trunk of a car near Lake Mead.
Court records show that Turner entered her plea on Wednesday afternoon. Her sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2023. With this plea deal, she now faces a potential prison sentence of 10 to 25 years.
Stay tuned to Long Crime Network for further developments in this captivating true crime story.
